Source: Team_Talk
Rooney puzzled by Fergie claims
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has contradicted claims from Sir Alex Ferguson by insisting his ankle has been injury-free all season.[LNB] The England hitman made the statement in the aftermath of Tuesday's goalless draw with Montenegro at Wembley in their Euro 2012 qualifier.[LNB]His comments are unlikely to go down well with United boss Ferguson in a troubled season for the 24-year-old which has also seen allegations about the player's private life.[LNB]Rooney also stressed the need to be playing regularly to reach full sharpness after a stop-start beginning to the campaign.[LNB]When asked after the Montenegro game if his ankle had caused any problems, Rooney replied: "No, I've had no ankle problem all season."[LNB]He repeated his denial when asked the question for a second time.[LNB]Then when asked "Why did Alex Ferguson say you had?", Rooney laughed and replied: "I don't know."[LNB]Rooney first encountered problems with his ankle in the Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich on March 30 but was deemed fit enough to return for the second leg.[LNB]The former Everton player is adamant he was fully fit for the World Cup even though he was a shadow of his normal self before starting the season for United.[LNB]He performed well for England against Bulgaria and Switzerland last month but headlines over his private life emerged between the two games.[LNB]Ferguson left him out of the match at Everton so "as not to expose him to that crowd".[LNB]Phelan said after Rooney's poor performance in a 2-2 draw at Bolton, in which he is substituted after an hour, that the player had "a little issue" with his ankle.[LNB]Rooney did not travel to Valencia for a Champions League clash and Ferguson said before the game it would "be two to three weeks" before he would be fit and described it as a "straightforward ankle injury".[LNB]Ferguson then decided to leave Rooney out of the game at Sunderland 11 days ago, saying at the time: "I have to take the view that this injury has been niggling away for a while and he kept on playing.[LNB]"I have to be dead sure that I am doing the right thing because Wayne has not been doing himself justice. I think in a week he will be fine.[LNB]"Obviously we don't play in a week, so it is up to Fabio Capello whether he wants him to."[LNB]Now Rooney has effectively denied all those comments from Ferguson in saying his ankle has been 100% throughout the season.[LNB]But he does concede he is still lacking in some sharpness and needs a run of games.[LNB]Rooney said: "I felt better against Montenegro. You need the games to get your fitness in.[LNB]"I started the season, played a few games and felt I was getting sharp, and then missed three or four games so you don't feel as sharp as I thought I would do.[LNB]"Towards the end of last season I was injured but during the World Cup, I trained every session and had no problems fitness-wise.[LNB]"I think in this league you need to keep playing because, if you are not at full fitness, then it's difficult to break teams down."[LNB]Rooney remains confident he will recapture the form of last season when he scored 34 goals in what he felt was a poor campaign for United, as they only won the Carling Cup.[LNB]He said: "That is in the past, last season. Although personally it was a good season for me, we won the Carling Cup and we should be winning more than that.[LNB]"When you are going through the run I am now, you just have to keep working hard.[LNB]"I know I've been through this before and once one goal goes in, I am sure I will get more but it's just getting that goal.[LNB]"If you don't score, and you have chances, you are disappointed. I want to score but I have got a lot of games left in the season.I am sure this run without scoring will end soon.[LNB]"I don't do anything different? I train as hard as I can every time I train and I do extra training every day and I've done that since I was a young boy.[LNB]"I'll keep doing my training and I'm sure the goals will come.[LNB]"I've missed a few games this season. I've played six or seven games this season including England.[LNB]"You just want to keep playing consistently now and keep working hard and I'm sure the goals will come."
